Gender Issues and Leadership: How To Improve Communication among and between Men and Women.

Page, Bonnie

Improving communication among and between men and women is an important part of leadership which entails understanding cultural stereotypes related to masculinity and femininity and understanding that all individuals possess a combination of masculine and feminine traits. Leaders should strive to create a new culture where feminine values are celebrated alongside masculine traits. With respect to communication, they should accept men's and women's unique conversational styles and rituals and be aware of small talk habits and nonverbal behaviors. Studies have shown that conversational rituals common among men often involve the use of opposition (e.g., banter, joking, teasing, and playful put-downs) and efforts to avoid the one-down position in interaction. Conversational rituals common among women, however, are often ways of maintaining an appearance of equality and of taking into account the effect of the exchange on the other person and expending effort to downplay the speaker's authority. Further, in groups women are more likely to conform to the way that men speak but are less likely to be listened to, regardless of how they speak or what they say. Understanding what goes on when people talk to each other is the best way to improve communication in the workplace and in all aspects of life. Contains 13 references. (TGI)

Note: In: The Olympics of Leadership: Overcoming Obstacles, Balancing Skills, Taking Risks. Proceedings of the Annual International Conference of the National Community College Chair Academy (5th, Phoenix, AZ, February 14-17, 1996); see JC 960 276.